Humidifying unit and ventilating apparatus comprising same

ABSTRACT

The present invention may relate to a humidifying unit. More particularly, the present invention may relate to a humidifying unit with improved humidifying efficiency and increased durability, and to a ventilating apparatus comprising the same.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention may relate to a humidifying unit. Moreparticularly, the present invention may relate to a humidifying unitwith improved humidifying efficiency and increased durability, and to aventilating apparatus comprising the same.

BACKGROUND

The present invention may relate to a ventilating apparatus, moreparticularly, to a humidifying unit with improved humidificationefficiency and durability and a ventilating apparatus having thehumidifying unit.

Generally, a ventilating apparatus may refer to an electric devicecapable of exhausting contaminated air inside a room and sucking andsupplying external clean and fresh air to the room. An air conditionerwith no ventilation function may cool or heat internal air whilecirculating it, to cool or heat a room. Even if a filter and the likeare provided in the air conditioner, a contamination level inside theroom may increase gradually and there is limitation of air cleaningperformed via the filter. Because of that, a ventilation process for theinternal air is necessary.

As a result, even an air conditioner installed to cool or heat a roomwhile circulating internal air may have a supplementary ventilatingapparatus.

Moreover, such an air conditioner may have a heat exchanger capable ofheat-exchanging between air sucked from the outside and air exhaustedfrom a room to minimize heat loss which might occur during theventilating process between cooled or heated internal air and externalair.

Also, a humidifying unit capable of performing a humidification functionmay be provided in the ventilating apparatus to humidify the sucked airwhich will be supplied to the room.

Such a humidifying unit includes a humidification member used to absorbwater along a preset direction. The humidifying unit transmits the airsucked from the outside between humidification members having water toflow along a preset direction, to supply water elements together withthe sucked air to the room.

A conventional humidifying unit may enable an end of the humidificationmember to absorb water stored in a water supply tank to flow theabsorbed water downward, to humidify the sucked air. However, in case ofadapting that method enabling the water to flow to the humidificationmember only along the preset direction, the water wasted during thehumidification process may increase.

In other words, the amount of the water elements vaporized and suppliedto the room together with the sucked air is much more than the amount ofthe water elements wasted after not vaporized.

If the amount of the water flowing along the humidification member afterabsorbed into the humidification member is increased, foreign mattersmight accumulate on a surface of the humidification member and a lifespan of the humidification member might be reduced.

Especially, the humidification members provided in the conventionalhumidifying unit mentioned above may have different water-absorbing andwater-flowing directions.

In other words, an upper end of the humidification member includes abent part along a down direction and an end of the bent part is extendedinto the water supply tank, to absorb the water stored in the watersupply tank and to flow the water along a gravity of the earth, which isthe humidification process. The shape of the bent part formed in thehumidification member may differentiate the water-absorbing directionfrom the water-flowing direction. Because of that, there is an advantageof controlling the amount of the absorbed water and a disadvantage of ashortened usage life generated by the accumulating foreign matters suchscales on the bent part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Problem

An object of the present invention may be to provide a humidifying unitwith improved humidification efficiency and durability and a ventilatingapparatus having the humidifying unit.

Technical Solution

To realize the object of the present invention, a ventilating apparatusincludes a ventilating unit comprising a heat exchanger to heat-exchangeair (room air) exhausted from a room with air sucked from the outside(outside air); a humidifying unit comprising a water supply tank tostore water configured to humidify the sucked-air (the outside air)sucked by the ventilating unit and a humidification member to humidifythe air heat-exchanged in the heat exchanger of the ventilating unit,while having the air to pass there through; and a collecting unitcomprising a water collecting tank to collect water failing to beabsorbed into the humidification member out of the water supplied fromthe water supply tank and a collecting pipe to guide the water collectedin the water collecting tank toward the water supply tank, wherein thewater supply tank is provided beyond the humidification member and thewater collecting tank is provided below the humidification member.

Also, the humidifying unit may include a water level sensor provided inthe water supply tank and a water supply pipe comprising a water supplyvalve.

In this case, the water supply valve may be closed when a water levelinside the water supply tank that is detected by the water level sensorreaches a preset maximum level and the water supply valve may be openwhen a water level inside the water supply tank lowered than a presetminimum level.

Here, the humidifying unit may include a water supply pump to pump thewater collected in the water collecting tank and a collecting pipe toguide the water pumped by the water supply pump toward the water supplytank.

A plurality of water supply holes may be formed in a bottom of the watersupply tank along a width direction of the humidification member, spacedapart a predetermined distance from the humidification member, or atleast one water supply slit may be formed in the bottom of the watersupply tank along the width direction of the humidification member, tosupply the water stored in the water supply tank.

Also, the humidification member of the humidifying unit may include aplurality of bending sheets spaced apart a preset distance from eachother, with a corrugation shape, and a plurality of flat sheets providedbetween two of the bending sheets, respectively.

Also, the humidification member of the humidifying unit may be a flatpanel type along a transmitting direction of the air heat-exchanged inthe heat exchanger of the ventilating unit.

In this case, a guide rail may be provided along a side of each of thehumidification member and the water supply tank, and a guide groove maybe provided along the other side, to selectively slide-insert orslide-withdraw the humidification member.

Here, a sealing material may be provided between the water supply tankand the humidification member.

A guide rail may be provided along a side of each of the humidificationmember and the water supply tank, and a guide groove may be providedalong the other side, to selectively slide-insert or slide-withdraw thehumidification member, and the sealing material may be provided inparallel to the guide rail or the guide groove.

Also, the sealing material may be a band surrounding the guide rail andthe guide groove.

In this case, the water collecting tank of the collecting unit maycollect water falling outside the humidification member, failing to beabsorbed into the top of the humidification member, out of the watersupplied to the humidification member from the water supply tank.

Here, the water collecting tank may include a ring-shaped accommodationspace and an opening to open the accommodation space.

The collecting unit may include a collecting pump to pump the watercollected in the accommodation space of the water collecting tank towardthe water supply tank via a collecting pipe.

Also, the ventilating apparatus may further include a drainage unitcomprising a drainage pipe to drain the water introduced into theopening out of the water supplied to the humidification member; and adrain pan.

In this case, the ventilating apparatus may further include aheating/cooling unit to heat or cool the outside air supplied to thehumidifying unit, wherein the heating/cooling unit may include aheating/cooling coil including a plurality of fins and a refrigerantpipe passing through the plurality of the fins; and an expansion valve.

In another aspect of the present invention to realize the object of thepresent invention, a humidifying unit includes a water supply tank tostore water therein; a humidification member to absorb the watersupplied from the water supply tank and to humidify air passing therethrough; a water collecting tank to collect water falling outside thehumidification member, failing to be absorbed, out of the water suppliedto the humidification member; a collecting pipe to provide a passage tore-supply the water collected in the water collecting tank toward thewater supply tank; and a drain pan to drain the water discharged afterabsorbed into the humidification member out of the water supplied to thehumidification member.

Here, the humidification member may include a plurality of bendingsheets spaced apart a preset distance from each other, with acorrugation shape, and a plurality of flat sheets provided between twoof the bending sheets, respectively, and the humidification member maybe a flat panel type along a transmitting direction of the airheat-exchanged in the heat exchanger of the ventilating unit.

A guide rail may be provided along a side of each of the humidificationmember and the water supply tank, and a guide groove may be providedalong the other side, to selectively slide-insert or slide-withdraw thehumidification member, and a sealing material may be provided betweenthe water supply tank and the humidification member.

Also, the water collecting tank may include a ring-shaped accommodationspace and an opening to open the accommodation space, and the drain pandrains the water discharged from the humidification member via anopening of the water collecting tank.

Advantageous Effects

According to the ventilating apparatus according to the presentinvention, the internal air (the room air) may be ventilated and themoisture may be supplied to the dry air supplied to the roomsimultaneously. Because of that, the room air may be comfortable.

Furthermore, according to the ventilating apparatus of the presentinvention, durability of the humidification member provided in thehumidifying unit of the ventilating apparatus may be enhanced.

Still further, according to the ventilating apparatus of the presentinvention, water consumption of the humidification member provided inthe humidifying unit may be reduced.

Still further, according to the ventilating apparatus of the presentinvention, the area and thickness of the humidification member providedin the humidifying unit may be reduced. Because of that, the dimensionof the ventilating apparatus may be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a ventilating apparatusaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the ventilating apparatusshown in FIG. 1, seen from a different angle;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a heat exchanger of a ventilating unitand a heating/cooling coil of a heating/cooling unit

provided in the ventilating apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a humidificationmember provided in the ventilating apparatus according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an embodiment of thehumidifying unit provided in the ventilating apparatus according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating another embodiment of thehumidifying unit provided in the ventilating apparatus according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a humidification member shownin FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a further embodiment of thehumidifying unit provided in the ventilating apparatus according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a sealing member;

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating conceptual diagramillustrating a still further embodiment of the humidifying unit providedin the ventilating apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a water supply tank and adrain pan.

BEST MODE

As follows, exemplary embodiments will be described in reference to theaccompanying drawings. Although embodiments have been described withreference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should beunderstood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can bedevised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit andscope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, variousvariations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/orarrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope ofthe disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition tovariations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements,alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.Reference may now be made in detail to specific embodiments, examples ofwhich may be illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whereverpossible, same reference numbers may be used throughout the drawings torefer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a ventilating apparatus 1000according to the present invention.

The ventilating apparatus according to the present invention mayincludes a ventilating unit 100 having a heat exchanger to heat-exchangeair exhausted from a room and air sucked from an outside with eachother, a humidifying unit 300 having a water supply tank to store waterused for humidifying the sucked into the ventilating unit, ahumidification member to humidify the air passing therein afterheat-exchanged in the heat exchanger of the ventilating unit 100, and acollecting unit (not shown) having a water collecting tank to collectwater failing to be absorbed into the humidification member 310 out ofthe water supplied from the water supply tank and a collecting pipe toguide the water collected in the water collecting tank toward the watersupply tank. The water supply tank may be provided beyond thehumidification member and the water collecting tank may be providedbelow the humidification member.

The ventilating apparatus 1000 may include the ventilating unit toventilate internal air with external air. In addition, the ventilatingapparatus may include at least one of a heating/cooling unit to heat orcool the sucked-air sucked by the ventilating unit and a humidifyingunit to humidify the sucked air of the ventilating unit. Theheating/cooling unit and the humidifying unit may improve a comfortlevel of the sucked air supplied to the room, and users' satisfactionmay be improved accordingly.

The ventilating apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail asfollows. It is assumed that the ventilating apparatus which will bedescribed includes both of the ventilating unit, the heating/coolingunit and the humidifying unit.

The ventilating unit configured to perform a ventilating function of theventilating apparatus may include at least one ventilation fan.According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ventilating unit 100provided in the ventilating apparatus may include an inlet fan 130 andan outlet fan 120. The inlet fan 130 and the outlet fan 120 may suckexternal air and exhaust internal air, respectively. The inlet fan 130and the outlet fan 120 may be disposed at both ends of the ventilatingunit 100, respectively. The inlet fan 130 may be provided at one of theends of the ventilating unit 100 toward the room and the outlet fan 120may be disposed at the other end toward the outside.

A heat exchanger 110 may be provided between the inlet fan 130 and theoutlet fan 120, to heat exchange the sucked-air and the exhausted-airwith each other. The heat exchanger 110 may stop drastic temperaturechange of the internal air and lower air-conditioning load of the roomby the heat exchange between the sucked-air and the exhausted-air.

For example, when a ventilation process is performed in a coolingprocess for the room, cooled air inside the room may be exhausted andhot external air may be sucked. Because of that, the cooling load (inother words, air-conditioning load) of the air conditioner may beincreased.

As a result, the heat exchanger 110 may heat-exchange the sucked-air andthe exhausted-air with each other, only to reduce the cooling load orthe heating load. Because of that, temperature anomalies sensed by theuser may be reduced as much as possible. The detailed structure of theheat exchanger 110 will be described later.

Each of the inlet fan 130 and the outlet fan 120 may be a cross flowfan. The heat exchanger 110 may be arranged between the inlet fan 130and the outlet fan 120.

The inlet fan 130 may blow the outside air (the sucked-air) havingpassed the heat exchanger 110 toward the heating/cooling unit 200 whichwill be described later. The outlet fan 120 may exhaust the room air(the exhausted-air) having passed the heat exchanger 110 toward theoutside.

The outside air sucked by the inlet fan 130 may be blown toward theheating/cooling unit 200. The heating/cooling unit 200 may include aheating/cooling coil 210 to heat or cool the sucked-air havingrefrigerant transmit there through after the refrigerant is evaporatedor condensed, and an expansion valve (not shown) to block or expand therefrigerant selectively.

The refrigerant supplied to the heating/cooling coil may be provided byan outdoor unit independently provided in the air conditioner from theventilating apparatus.

Here, it is possible to provide a compression and a heat exchanger inthe ventilating apparatus. However, to reduce the volume of theventilating apparatus, to minimize noise generation and to increaseheating/cooling efficiency, the refrigerant may be provided to theventilating apparatus from the outdoor unit of the air conditionerinstalled outdoor. The heating/cooling coil 210 composing theheating/cooling unit 200 will be described in detail later.

The ventilating apparatus may further include the humidifying unit 300provided behind the heating/cooling unit 200. The humidifying unit 300may include the humidification member to humidify the air transmittingthere through after absorbing water and it may enable the water to flowdownward there along. The humidification member will be described indetail later.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the ventilating apparatusshown in FIG. 1, seen from a different angle. The ventilating apparatusmay suck external air into the room via a suction hole (not shown) andexhaust internal air outside via an outlet hole (not shown).

The process of exhausting the sucked room air via the ventilatingapparatus may be performed by first and second outlet ducts 430 and 440connected with the ventilating apparatus. The process of sucking theoutside air via the ventilating apparatus may be performed by first andsecond inlet ducts 410 and 420 connected with the ventilating apparatus.

The sucked-air (in other words, the outside air (OA)) sucked via thefirst inlet duct 410 may be cooled or heated in the heating/cooling coil210 provided in the heating/cooling unit 200, after heat-exchanged inthe heat exchanger 110 provided in the ventilating unit 100. The cooledor heated air may be humidified in the humidifying unit 300 and thehumidified air may be supplied to the room (in other words, thesupplied-air (SA)).

When the sucked-air heated in the heating/cooling unit 200 istransmitted through the humidifying unit 300 especially in winter, thetemperature may be lowered and the humidity may be increased. As aresult, the room may be comfortably refreshed. In other words, the airheated in the heating/cooling unit 200 may be easily humidified in thehumidifying unit. As a result, the humidifying unit 300 may be useablein lowering the temperature of the dry and heated air and increasing thehumidity in the heating mode.

In contrast, the internal air (in other words, room air (RA)) suckedfrom the room may be bypassed without passing the humidifying unit 300or the heating/cooling unit 200, to be heat-exchanged in the heatexchanger 110 of the ventilating unit 100. The heat-exchanged air may beexhausted outside (in other words, the exhausted air).

FIG. 3 illustrates the heat exchanger 110 of the ventilating unit 100and the heating/cooling coil 210 of the heating/cooling unit 200. FIG.3( a) illustrates the heat exchanger 110 of the ventilating unit 100 andFIG. 3( b) illustrates the heating/cooling coil 210 of theheating/cooling unit 200.

As shown in FIG. 3( a), the heat exchanger 110 may be formed of flattype sheets 113 and bending sheets 114 with corrugation which aremulti-layered alternatively. The bending sheets 114 having the flatsheet 113 disposed there between may be perpendicularly alternated witheach other. The heat exchanger 110 may be formed of a square bar shape.

A first passage 115 and a second passage 116 may be formed in the heatexchanger 110 by the multi-layering of the flat sheets 113 and thebending sheets 114. The first and second passages 115 and 116 may be atright angles to each other.

An absorbent may be coated on a surface of the flat sheet 113 or thebending sheet 114 composing the heat exchanger 110, to absorb vapors.Such an absorbent may be silica gel, zeolite and ion exchange resin, forexample.

Also, a thin film together with the absorbent may be may be coated onthe surface of the flat sheet 113 or the bending sheet 114. Because ofthat, the moisture as well as the heat of the air having passed thefirst passage 115 and the second passage 116 may exchanged.

In other words, the exhausted-air exhausted from the room (the room air(RA)) may pass the first passage 115 and the sucked-air sucked from theoutside (the outside air (OA)) may pass the second passage 116. In thiscase, the moisture of the exhausted-air may be absorbed by the absorbentin the first passage 115 and the moisture may be supplied to thesucked-air (the room air (OA)) in the second passage 116, only toincrease the humidity of the room air (OA). When the humidifying unit300 is provided in the ventilating apparatus, the humidification processmay be performed by the humidifying unit 300. Even without thehumidifying unit, the humidity difference between the outside air (OA)and the room air (RA) may be reduced primarily.

FIG. 3( b) is a perspective view illustrating the heating/cooling coil210 composing the heater/cooer unit 200. The heating/cooling coil 210may be a fin-tube type heat exchanger, in other words, a cross-fin typeheat exchanger. The heating/cooling coil 210 may include a plurality ofmetal fins 213 formed of metal such as aluminum, with a rectangularplate shape, and a refrigerant pipe 215 passing through the fins 213.Although not shown in FIG. 3, the heating/cooling coil 210 may furtherinclude an expansion valve (not shown) to supply refrigerant to theheating/cooling coil 210 selectively. The expansion valve may be anelectric expansion valve (EEV). The expansion valve may selectivelyblock or supply the refrigerant or it may expand the refrigerantsupplied to the heating/cooling coil 210.

As a result, when cooling the room, the heating/cooling coil 210 may beoperated as an evaporator. When heating the room, the heating/coolingcoil 210 may be operated as a condenser.

It may be difficult for only the ventilation to provide the sufficientheating and cooling function. Because of that, the ventilating apparatusmay be operated in communication with an auxiliary air conditioner.Unless it includes a compressor and the like, the ventilating apparatusmay be supplied refrigerant by an outdoor unit of the air conditioner.

FIG. 4 illustrating an embodiment of the humidification member providedin the ventilating apparatus according to the present invention.Specifically, FIG. 4( a) is a perspective view illustrating arectangular humidification member 310 and FIG. 4( b) is an enlarged viewpartially illustrating (A) of FIG. 4( a).

The humidification member shown in FIG. 4 may perform the humidificationprocess of passing the sucked-air there between after absorbing water.The humidification member 310 of the humidifying unit 300 may have aflat panel shape along a direction of the air heat-exchanged in the heatexchanger 110 of the ventilating unit.

The humidification member 310 may be configured of a plurality ofmoisture absorbents 315 a and 315 b that are laid over. The moistureabsorbents 315 a and 315 b may be formed of non-woven fabric, to flowthe water absorbed therein along a surface thereof or to move the waterabsorbed therein downwardly.

The humidification member 310 may constantly absorb the water and flowthe absorbed water. Simultaneously, the humidification member 310 maytransmit air through the moisture absorbents 315 a and 315 b and it mayhumidify the sucked-air.

Different from the humidification member shown in FIG. 4( b), thehumidification member 310 may include the moisture absorbent configuredof a flat moisture absorbent 315 a and a bending moisture absorbent 315b alternated with each other. The flat moisture absorbents 315 a and thebending absorbents 315 b may be disposed alternatively and constantly,with being spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other. Thisis because the absorbed water has to flow downwardly along a surface ofthe humidification member 310 smoothly.

The bending absorbent 315 b may have an effect of extending the passageof the water flowing along the surface thereof. Because of that, aneffect of enlarging the height of the humidification member may beachieved and another effect of increasing the evaporability of the waterabsorbed into the humidification member 310 may be achieved.

Also, the bending absorbent 315 b may bend the passage of the waterflowing along a surface thereof. Because of that, the time for theabsorbed water to stay in the humidification member 310 may belengthened and humidification efficiency may be enhanced.

The distance between the flat absorbents 315 a may be approximately 5mmand the distance of the bending formed in the bending absorbent 315 bmay be approximately 9mm.

FIG. 5 illustrates a conceptual diagram of an embodiment of thehumidifying unit provided in the ventilating apparatus according to thepresent invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the humidification member 310 mayhave a structure of absorbing the water from the water supply tank 320provided above. The water supply tank 320 may include a plurality ofwater supply holes (not shown) formed at a bottom thereof to supply thewater stored therein or at least one water supply slit (not shown). Theplurality of the water supply holes may be formed distant along a widthdirection of the humidification member 310 or the at least one watersupply slit (not shown) may be formed along the width direction of thehumidification member.

The plurality of the water supply holes may be formed at the bottom ofthe water supply tank 320, distance from the humidification member alongthe width direction, or the water supply slit may be formed at thebottom along the width direction of the humidification member.

The area of the water supply hole or the water supply slit and a levelof the water stored in the water supply tank 320 may be variables fordetermining the amount of the water supplied to the humidificationmember 310 from the water supply tank 320 per hour. The amount of thehourly supplied water or the hourly used water may be determined byadjusting the water level inside the water supply tank 320 and each areaof the water supply hole and the water supply slit.

The humidifying unit 300 may include a water level sensor 322 providedin the water supply tank 320 and a water supply pipe 360 having a watersupply valve 362.

Unless it is a top closed type, the water supply tank 320 may includethe water level sensor 322 to prevent overflow. The water level sensormay be float switch.

The water supply valve 362 may be provided to selectively block thewater supplied to the water supply pipe 360 supplying the water to thewater supply tank 320.

When the water level of the water supply tank detected by the waterlevel sensor 322 reaches a preset highest level, the water supply valve362 may be closed. When the water level is lowered than a preset lowestlevel, the water supply valve 362 may be open.

Also, when the water level of the water stored in the water supply tankis increased to be the preset minimum level or more, the ventilatingapparatus may be operated. However, when only the humidificationfunction is stopped to operate or the ventilating apparatus is stoppedto operate, the water supply may be blocked.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the humidifying unit 300may further include a drain pan 340 provided below a second water supplytank 330.

If the water supply fails to be controlled by a malfunction of the watersupply valve 362, the drain fan 340 may prevent overflowing water fromflowing outside. Also, a drainage pipe 350 may be further provided todrain the water collected in the drain pan 340. The drainage pipe 350may be connected with a sewerage system. Of course, the drain fan itselfmay be a detachable type.

The water consumption amount may be adjusted by an area of a slit (notshown) or an area of a water supply hole (not shown) formed in a bottomof the water supply tank 320. The adjustment of the water supply amountmay be enabled by adjusting an opening level of the water supply valve362.

As mentioned above, the humidification member may have the flat waterabsorbents 315 a and the bending water absorbents 315 b that arealternated with each other. Because of that, the effect of extending thepassage of the water flowing along the surface of the humidificationmember may be achieved and the effect of enlarging the height of thehumidification member may be achieved accordingly. As a result, thehumidification efficiency of the humidification member 310 may beenhanced.

The corrugation shape of the humidification member may reduce the amountof the water drained to the drainage pipe 360 via the drain pan 340. Inaddition, the humidification member 310 may be rectangular-shaped andthe accumulation scales contained in the supplied water may be reducedas much as possible.

If the scale accumulation is reduced as much as possible, there may bean effect of enhanced durability of the humidification member 310.

However, the humidification member 310 may be replaceable periodicallyeven if the durability thereof is enhanced. Because of that, a structureenabling the humidification member to be replaceable efficiently has tobe put into operation.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the humidifying unit providedin the ventilating apparatus according to the present invention. Here,repeated description with respect the description in reference to FIG. 5will be omitted. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a guiderail may be provided along a side of the humidification member 310 and aside of the water supply tank 320, and a guide groove may be providedalong the other opposite sides. Because of that, the humidificationmember may be selectively inserted or withdrawn along a perpendiculardirection to the water transmission direction and the water supplydirection.

The humidification member 310 sown in FIG. 6 may be configured to bewithdrawn in a state of coupled to a coupling material 370, to improveservice convenience.

In detail, a guide rail 374 may be provided in a coupling material 370coupled to a top of the humidification member 310 and a guide groove 324may be provided in a bottom of the water supply tank 320. However, theposition of the guide rail may be exchanged with the position of theguide groove. As a result, the guide rail and the guide groove mayenable the humidification member 310 to be withdrawn along aperpendicular direction (a perpendicular direction to the ground) to thetransmission direction of the sucked-air (along a right direction from aleft direction) and the water supply direction (along a lower directionfrom an upper direction), to be replaced or repaired. Because of that,user convenience may be improved and productivity may be improved.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the humidification member 310 shown inFIG. 6. The humidification member 310 may have the coupling material 370coupled to the top thereof and the guide rail 374 integrally formedtherewith.

The water supplied via the water supply hole or the water supply slitformed in the bottom of the water supply tank 320 may be absorbed by thehumidification member 310 via an opening 376 formed in the couplingmaterial.

FIG. 8 illustrates a conceptual diagram illustrating a furtherembodiment of the humidifying unit provided in the ventilating apparatusaccording to the present invention. Repeated description with respect tothe description in reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 will be omitted.

The water supply tank 320 may be placed on the top of the humidifyingunit 310. Because of that, the water supplied from the water supply tank320 might be discharged surroundings, with failing to be absorbed intothe humidification member 310, even if the areas of the water supplyslit and the water supply hole are adjusted.

A sealing material may be provided between the water supply tank 320 andthe humidification member 310. According to the embodiment shown in FIG.8, the sealing material 500 may be provided between the water supplytank 320 and the coupling material 370 composing the humidificationmember 310. The sealing material 500 may be in parallel to the guiderail 374 or the guide groove 324.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of the sealing material 500.

The sealing material 500 may be formed of rubber or silicon and it maybe a band type having an opening 506 provided corresponding to theopening 376 of the coupling material 370.

As a result, the sealing material 500 may be employed to reduce apredetermined amount of water discharged by the humidification member310 while supplied from the water supply tank 320, failing to beabsorbed into the humidification member 310.

However, even when the sealing material 500 is provided, a predeterminedamount of water fails to be absorbed into the humidification member andthe water falls into the drain pan 340 and to be drained. In this case,the water falling from the humidification material 310 failing to beevaporated after absorbed into the humidification member 310 may bedrained via the drain pan 340. The water falling from the humidificationmaterial 310, failing to be evaporated after absorbed into thehumidification member 310 may be contaminated by water contaminants(scales) remaining in the moisture absorbents 315 a and 315 b providedin the humidification member 310 while flowing between the moistureabsorbents 315 a and 315 b. Because of that, the water may be drained.

If the contaminated water is used for the humidification afterre-absorbed into the humidification member 310, a life span of thehumidification member may be reduced.

However, the water falling outside the humidification member 310,failing to be absorbed into the humidification member 310 out of thewater supplied from the water supply tank 320 may not be contaminated.If that water is not used but drained, water consumption might beincreased. A structure enabling that water to be re-used may benecessary.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a still further embodimentof the humidifying unit provided in the ventilating apparatus accordingto the present invention. Repeated description with respect to thedescription in reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 will be omitted.

The humidifying unit according to the embodiment of present inventionmay include the water supply tank 320 to store water therein, thehumidification member 310 to absorb the water supplied from the watersupply tank 320 and to humidify air passing therein by using theabsorbed water, a water collecting tank 390 to collect water fallingoutside the humidification member 310, failing to be absorbed into thehumidification member 310 out of the water supplied to thehumidification member 310, a collecting pipe 460 to provide a passageused for collecting the water collected in the water collecting tank390, and a drain pan 340 to drain the water discharged after absorbedinto the humidification member 310 out of the water supplied to thehumidification member 310.

The humidifying unit 300 shown in FIG. 10 may include the watercollecting tank 390 around a lower portion of the humidification member310. The water collecting tank 390 may collect the water falling outsidethe humidification member 310, failing to be absorbed into thehumidification member 310, out of the water supplied from the watersupply tank 320. Out of the water supplied from the water supply tank320, the water falling outside the humidification member 310, withfailing to be absorbed into the humidification member 310, may have alow contaminant level and it may be collected for re-usage. As a result,the water collected in the water collecting tank 390 may be re-suppliedto the water supply tank 320, to be supplied to the humidificationmember 310.

The humidifying unit 300 may include a collecting pump 462 to pump thewater collected in the water collecting tank 390 and a collecting pipe460 to guide the water pumped by the collecting pump 462 toward thewater supply tank 320.

The water collected in the water collecting tank 390 may be re-suppliedto the water supply tank 320 by the collecting pipe 460 configured toconnect the water collecting tank 390 and the water supply tank 320 witheach other. The collecting pump 462 may be provided in the collectingpipe 460, to pump the water collected in the water collecting tank 390toward the water supply tank 320.

The water collecting tank 390 and the water collecting structure thereofmay realize the humidification function and minimize the amount of thewasted water.

There may be provided the drainage unit including the drainage pipe 360and the drain pan 340 may be provided to drain the water introduced intothe opening 394 out of the water supplied to the humidification member310.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the water collecting tank 390and the drain pan 340. The water collecting tank 390 may include anaccommodation space 392 formed in a ring shape, to have the structure ofre-supplying the water collected therein to the water supply tank 320 bya single collecting pipe. The area of the opening 394 formed in thehumidification member 310 may be larger than the area of the bottomsurface of the humidification member 310.

This is because the water falling to the drain pan 340, failing to beevaporated after absorbed into the humidification member 310, has to beprevented from mixed with the water falling to the water collectingtank, failing to be absorbed into the humidification member 310. As aresult, the water falling to the drain pan 340, failing to be evaporatedafter absorbed into the humidification member 310, may be drained towardthe drain pan 340 via the opening 394. The water falling to the watercollecting tank 390, failing to be absorbed into the humidificationmember 310, may be collected in the accommodation space 392 of the watercollecting tank 390. After that, the collected water may be re-suppliedto the water supply tank 320.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

1. A ventilating apparatus comprising: a ventilating unit comprising aheat exchanger to heat-exchange air (room air) exhausted from a roomwith air sucked from the outside (outside air); a humidifying unitcomprising a water supply tank to store water configured to humidify thesucked-air (the outside air) sucked by the ventilating unit and ahumidification member to humidify the air heat-exchanged in the heatexchanger of the ventilating unit, while having the air to pass therethrough; and a collecting unit comprising a water collecting tank tocollect water failing to be absorbed into the humidification member outof the water supplied from the water supply tank and a collecting pipeto guide the water collected in the water collecting tank toward thewater supply tank, wherein the water supply tank is provided beyond thehumidification member and the water collecting tank is provided belowthe humidification member.
 2. The ventilating apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the humidifying unit comprises a water level sensorprovided in the water supply tank and a water supply pipe comprising awater supply valve.
 3. The ventilating apparatus according to claim 2,wherein the water supply valve is closed when a water level inside thewater supply tank that is detected by the water level sensor reaches apreset maximum level, and the water supply valve is open when a waterlevel inside the water supply tank lowered than a preset minimum level.4. The ventilating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein thehumidifying unit comprises a water supply pump to pump the watercollected in the water collecting tank and a collecting pipe to guidethe water pumped by the water supply pump toward the water supply tank.5. The ventilating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pluralityof water supply holes are formed in a bottom of the water supply tankalong a width direction of the humidification member, spaced apart apredetermined distance from the humidification member, or at least onewater supply slit is formed in the bottom of the water supply tank alongthe width direction of the humidification member, to supply the waterstored in the water supply tank.
 6. The ventilating apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the humidification member of the humidifying unitcomprises a plurality of bending sheets spaced apart a preset distancefrom each other, with a corrugation shape, and a plurality of flatsheets provided between two of the bending sheets, respectively.
 7. Theventilating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the humidificationmember of the humidifying unit is a flat panel type along a transmittingdirection of the air heat-exchanged in the heat exchanger of theventilating unit.
 8. The ventilating apparatus according to claim 1,wherein a guide rail is provided along a side of each of thehumidification member and the water supply tank, and a guide groove isprovided along the other side, to selectively slide-insert orslide-withdraw the humidification member.
 9. The ventilating apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein a sealing material is provided between thewater supply tank and the humidification member.
 10. The ventilatingapparatus according to claim 9, wherein a guide rail is provided along aside of each of the humidification member and the water supply tank, anda guide groove is provided along the other side, to selectivelyslide-insert or slide-withdraw the humidification member, and thesealing material is provided in parallel to the guide rail or the guidegroove.
 11. The ventilating apparatus according to claim 10, wherein,the sealing material is a band surrounding the guide rail and the guidegroove.
 12. The ventilating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thewater collecting tank of the collecting unit collects water fallingoutside the humidification member, failing to be absorbed into the topof the humidification member, out of the water supplied to thehumidification member from the water supply tank.
 13. The ventilatingapparatus according to claim 12, wherein the water collecting tankcomprises a ring-shaped accommodation space and an opening to open theaccommodation space.
 14. The ventilating apparatus according to claim14, wherein the collecting unit comprises a collecting pump to pump thewater collected in the accommodation space of the water collecting tanktoward the water supply tank via a collecting pipe.
 15. The ventilatingapparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: a drainage unitcomprising a drainage pipe to drain the water introduced into theopening out of the water supplied to the humidification member; and adrain pan.
 16. The ventilating apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a heating/cooling unit to heat or cool the outside airsupplied to the humidifying unit, wherein the heating/cooling unitcomprises a heating/cooling coil including a plurality of fins and arefrigerant pipe passing through the plurality of the fins; and anexpansion valve.
 17. A humidifying unit comprising: a water supply tankto store water therein; a humidification member to absorb the watersupplied from the water supply tank and to humidify air passing therethrough; a water collecting tank to collect water falling outside thehumidification member, failing to be absorbed, out of the water suppliedto the humidification member; a collecting pipe to provide a passage tore-supply the water collected in the water collecting tank toward thewater supply tank; and a drain pan to drain the water discharged afterabsorbed into the humidification member out of the water supplied to thehumidification member.
 18. The humidifying unit according to claim 17,wherein the humidification member comprises a plurality of bendingsheets spaced apart a preset distance from each other, with acorrugation shape, and a plurality of flat sheets provided between twoof the bending sheets, respectively, and the humidification member is aflat panel type along a transmitting direction of the air heat-exchangedin the heat exchanger of the ventilating unit.
 19. The humidifying unitaccording to claim 18, wherein a guide rail is provided along a side ofeach of the humidification member and the water supply tank, and a guidegroove is provided along the other side, to selectively slide-insert orslide-withdraw the humidification member, and a sealing material isprovided between the water supply tank and the humidification member.20. The humidifying unit according to claim 17, wherein the watercollecting tank comprises a ring-shaped accommodation space and anopening to open the accommodation space, and the drain pan drains thewater discharged from the humidification member via an opening of thewater collecting tank.